1. Field
The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a carbonated water generating module.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, refrigerators are devices which include storage chambers which store food and cold air supply units which supply cold air to the storage chambers, and thus maintain the freshness of the stored food. The refrigerators may include ice-making devices which make ice, and dispensers from which users extract water or the ice from the outside without opening doors to meet the requirement of the users, and furthermore, may also include carbonated water production devices which generate carbonated water.
The carbonated water production device includes a carbon dioxide cylinder in which a high pressure carbon dioxide gas is stored, and a carbonated water tank in which carbonated water is produced by mixing carbon dioxide and water.
In addition, the carbonated water production device includes a pressure regulator which adjusts a pressure of the carbon dioxide discharged from the carbon dioxide cylinder, and a solenoid switch valve which regulates supplying of the carbon dioxide discharged from the pressure regulator to the carbonated water tank.
When the carbon dioxide charged in the carbon dioxide cylinder is discharged, the pressure regulator adjusts the pressure thereof to about 8.5 bar for discharging the carbon dioxide. This is a suitable pressure for mixing the carbon dioxide and water in the carbonated water tank. When a connection channel between the pressure regulator and the solenoid switch valve is congested with the carbon dioxide discharged from the pressure regulator, the carbon dioxide may be heated by external heat and a pressure thereof can increase. When the pressure of the carbon dioxide increases as described above, there is a problem in that the solenoid switch valve cannot be opened.
In addition, since the carbon dioxide cylinder is a consumable component, when the carbon dioxide is all exhausted, the carbon dioxide cylinder should be replaced.